


Going to the palace

by Marmidotte



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fatherhood, Gen, Hopeful Ending, In-Universe RPF, Parents, officials
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-28 22:17:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10840584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marmidotte/pseuds/Marmidotte
Summary: I had this weird idea that James does not take much after his father – even more after seeing young mr. Hathaway Sr. in Endeavour – and does not look much like his sister either. So what if it is because he is not Hathaway Senior's biological son? What if the problems came from the fact that James is from another father? Completely gratuitous take on the topic. Also, first and last ever RPF for me. And... comments are love, reviews are life. ;)





	Going to the palace

Summonings to Innocent's office were always a bit frightening, for Hathaway at least. When she had them both in there Monday morning first hour despite them having no open case at the moment, it was doubly frightening. The weather outside seemed to even match their DCS' mood, grey, wet and cold.

"Gentlemen… we — and by we I mean you two — have been summoned to the MacIntosh Philip Hotel, the secure suites on the top floor. You will go there discreetly, find the culprit, and come back to report to me. I do not want ONE WORD of this going to the press or anyone else for that matter. Am I making myself clear?" Innocents' fingers were almost drumming a battle march on the top of her desk.

Lewis frowned. "MacIntosh Philip Hotel's top suites? But are those not used by the…"

"I said not a word! Try not to be tiresome." Innocent's face was the one of bad days. Lewis and Hathaway exited the office rather quickly.

"Right. Well, let's go. Me car or yours?" Lewis was thinking forward, it would be difficult to park there, so best take only one car.

Hathaway looked thoughtful. But not in his usual way, more in a "oh, yay, it's my past coming back to haunt me again." Lewis frowned, worried for his bagman. The previous encounters with some of his past had almost costed him his life, not to mention his sanity.

Having successfully parked at walking distance of the hotel, both coppers went to the main desk. "Good morning, gentlemen, welcome to the MacIntosh Philip Hotel. What can I do for y... ", the young woman at the reception seamlessly went on when presented with both warrant cards, "I see, please go directly to the lift with brass candelabras on each side, it will bring you to the right floor."

A dual "Thank You." was the only indication she had been heard as both of them were already walking away from the desk.

After a quick journey upwards, both copper exited the cabin in a well lit and thickly carpeted corridor, and were greeted wordlessly by a man in a nondescript suit with a slightly concealed weapon at his side, who waved them towards a big room. They elected to sit in the rather comfortable armchairs on the windowed side of the room and looked at the place with curiosity.

They did not have to wait for long. A youngish man, high end costume, clean haircut, came in and greeted them politely and formally, asking for their warrant cards. Reading from them, he went on. "DI… Lewis, DS… Hathaway, good morning. If I may ask you to wait a minute?" He seemed to be surprised by something, had a kind of minute block, and then seamlessly went to open a door and hold it for someone.

They stood up as a mark of respect. But as soon as the man entered the room, Hathaway went white as a sheet and fled through the door they had used to come in. Lewis was torn between chasing him and addressing the man who had just arrived. "Err… your royal highness…"

Said prince was looking at the door with an air that broke Lewis' heart. "I had hoped… but… no, we have done him too much harm, I suppose. Please, if you think going after him is the right thing to do, by all means. You can always come back later. But… tell him… tell him from me, no matter what he was told… I never hated him, I never was ashamed of him, he is always and forever welcome amongst us. Please?"

There was something profoundly disturbing for Lewis to have the person who might be the next king begging him. Shaking his head to clear his thought, he turned back to the prince and then to the door several times, uttering a not very distinct "Aye, all right, aye…" before running after Hathaway.

The bodyguard seemed only half surprised to see him run out, and pointed to the stairs nearby. Hesitating for an infinitesimal moment, seeing the open and waiting lift, Lewis hoped inside. He did not slow down, hitting the ground level button several time in a silly hope to make it go more quickly. Exiting the cabin, he ran down the hall, and exited the hotel, stopping dead on the red carpet as he had no idea where Hathaway had gone.

As he realised there was a valet at his post in front of the hotel, he had to ask. "Sorry, sorry, erm, DI Lewis, and err, did you see my colleague running out, and where did he go?"

The valet frowned at his question. "Running out, sir? No, I saw no one running out. Might you describe him?"

"Ah, aye, lanky lad, blond, dark blue suit today, and err… well, I dunno, is it enough?" Lewis was puzzled.

"Certainly sir. No one like the person you just described came out of the hotel in the last thirty minutes."

Lewis did not manage to keep his surprise hidden. "WHAT? Are you certain, man?"

The valet did not seem phased by the outburst. "Indeed I am, sir. Might your colleague have used another exit? The service door, maybe, or the lower level? As I do have an… eye on the parking, I can also tell you he did not go there."

Lewis was dumbstruck. "That's… that's… oh, blast. Thank you, man, that was very nice of you. How do I go to the kitchen and service door?"

"Right inside, ask the receptionist at the desk. It is no problem, sir. You might not remember me, but you stopped one of your colleagues from arresting me just because of the colour of my skin. If there is anything I can do for you, you only have to ask."

Lewis opened his mouth and closed it a few times, not knowing what to say about something that seemed natural for him. "Away, man. It was nothing. Thanks for your help." and ran back to the reception. But instead of talking to the woman at the desk, he thought for a few moments, and had a kind of revelation. Seeing the caretaker coming into the hall, he went to him with his warrant card open. "Sorry, mate, I need to go on the roof above the… eh… important people's suite, if you know what I mean?"

The caretaker did indeed understand. "We can take the lift and then the stairs, if you will follow me."

Nodding, Lewis did as suggested. As they reached the door leading outside, Lewis asked the caretaker to let him go alone. He got a code number to open the door from outside, and went on, pushing the large bar, opening the door.

He was caught in a draft of cold air as he stepped onto the roof balcony. But his sergeant was indeed there, smoking a cigarette, collar turned up in a vain attempt to shelter himself from the cold. As he saw who was coming, Hathaway let his head fall, looking like a sad giant gargoyle. "So. You found me out, sir."

"Ha. I'm a copper, or what? Whot's with this idea of fleeing? I mean, you could'have told me you wanted to wait in the car?"

Hathaway seemed to slump even more. "I… yes. Sorry. I seem to have once again lied to you and misdirected you." his voice contained so much self-loathing that Lewis wanted to gather him into his arms and reassure him.

"Well, I dunno. Mebbe you can explain?" Lewis tried to appear as non threatening as possible.

"I… my mother had me out of wedlock, with someone at the palace, since she was working there at the time. She refused to talk about it all, and my father… well, not the biological one, obviously, got violent if I ever talked about it. So it took me a long time to understand part of it. The man you saw at the home, he was the one to declare my birth at the local register office, they did not question the fact he was my father. So I grew up not knowing anything about my real father. Obviously, DNA tests were not a thing then, but… my blood type could not be obtained with my father and mother's, so when we covered that in class, I suddenly became even more curious."

Throwing the but of his cigarette on the stone of the roof, he crushed it with his boot. "I managed to unearth a bit of an answer. Mainly because there were not that many candidates of the right stature, age, and so on. But my mother last words to me before she left — yes, she left — were 'Be very careful, and do not try to contact them, they will not have anything to do with us.' So you might understand why I was so weary when I finally understood who we were supposed to talk to."

Lewis sharp intake of breath sounded loud in the foggy midmorning. "Bloody hell! She left you with an abusive father?"

Hathaway was surprised this was the main thing his DI gets from the explanation. But then, Lewis has always been a kind man. "Yes, well, I do not think she had much choice in the process. Anyhow, I suppose I will have to give Innocent my resignation, because as soon as the complain from the palace will hit her desk, she will have no choice. I am sorry…"

"Ah, about that…" Lewis was fidgeting with his ear. "I don't think you've got it right." 

That made Hathaway raise his head with a frown and a very eloquent "Errr?"

"I mean, he begged me to tell you that he wanted you to be part of t'familly, you know? And he seemed sad for real, not… not some kind of public facade."

Hathaway's voice was sad as he answered his governor. "You must be mistaken. My mother was adamant that any… contact from my side would have disastrous results."

"Yeah, yeah. But… from them, or from your father?" Lewis had his 'I solved this case'-look.

"Oh. I… do not know?" Faint signs of hope were visible on Hathaway's face.

"Well, come on. You can have a chat, and if things don' go well, you can go back to the station, I'll make it right with Innocent meself." Taking Hathaway's arm lightly, he steered him softly toward the stairs.

"I… all right. And… thank you. Sir. You are making an habit of saving my life." Slowly, carefully, Hathaway went.

"Away with you, man. Now, come on, I think he was about to offer us a drink, and if I am right, it's right good stuff." Lewis had his arm on Hathaway's back, reassuring him, while he typed the code, opened the door and wend downstairs.

**Author's Note:**

> I only used this prince because the dates roughly correspond...


End file.
